Key holder



J. H. MORIN KEY HOLDER Filed March 8, 1926 W H J.

Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH H. MORIN, 0F DOLGEVILLE, NEW YORK.

KEY HOLDER.

Application filed March 8, 192 6. Serial No. 93.317.

This invention relates to a key holder and one object of the invention is to provide a key holder so constructed that keys may be readily placed upon the holder or removed therefrom when so desired but prevented from accidentally becoming detached from the holder.

Another object of the invention is to so form the key holder that it will be relatively flat so that it will not take up much room when placed in the pocket, and to further so construct the key holder that it will not be liable to become caught in the lining of the pocket and cause the pocket to be torn when the keys are placed in the pocket or removed for use.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the key holder that one set of keys placed in engagement with the holder may be kept entirely separate from another set of keys.

Another object of the invention is to provide the key holder with an improved type of keeper which may be turned into and out of position for preventing removal of the keys from the holder, and to further provide an improved type of latch for engaging the keeper and releasably holdlng it in a locked position.

This invention is illustrated in the ac companying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a view showing the improved key holder in front elevation with the guard secured in position to retain keys upon the holder;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 with the guard released and turned to permit of a key being placed upon the holder or removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of hanger for suspending the key holder when not in use.

The key holder forming the subject-matter of this invention is preferably formed from stamped sheet metal but may be formed by casting if so desired. The shank 1 is provided at one end with a tongue extension 2 having side pins 3 for engagement by the bearing arms 4 at the lower end of a strip 5 which may be bent back upon itself to form a bill 6, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the hanger or strip 5 may be suspended from a belt worn about the waist or the upper free end portion of the strip 5 may be formed with an eye 7, as shown in Fig. i, to receive the attaching ring 8 of a chain 9. It will, of course, be understood that in the form shown in Fig. 4 the strip 5 need not be as long as the one shown in Fig. 3 and that the chain 9 may be at tached to the belt in any desired manner and will be of sufficient length to permit of the key holder being dropped into the pocket.

At its opposite end the shank 1 carries side arms 10 which may be formed by splitting the blank from which the shank is made. These arms 10 are curved outwardl y and then longitudinally of the shank and inwardly and terminate in curved free end portions 11 which extend towards the upper end of the shank in spaced relation thereto so that keys may he slipped onto or off the arms with the arms passed through the eyes of the keys. The metal from which the shank and arms are formed is resilient and, therefore, the arms will have sutlicient give to permit of a key being readily forced onto' or off the holder with a portion of the key passing between the shank and one of the free end portions of an arm.

The resiliency of the arms would to a certain extent tend to retain the keys upon the arms but it is better to have them positively prevented from accidentally slipping out of place. There has, therefore, been provided keepers 12 which are in the form of discs disposed against the inner and outer faces of the shank 1 and mounted upon the end portions of a pin 13 which extends through the shank and is formed with heads let at its ends to hold the keepers in place. These keepers are formed with radially extending notches or recesses 15 which are of less width than the shank and, therefore, when the keepers are held in a set position, as shown in Fig. 1, the. passages between the shank and the'end portions 11 of the arms 10 will be closed and a key cannot accidentally work off the arm upon which it is placed. Two keepers have been employed as they extend into overlapping engagement with opposed faces of the end portions of the arms 10 and, therefore, the arms will be effectively prevented from having transverse movement and cannot be bent out of the plane of the shank.

In order to permit of the keepers being seouter faces thereof.

onto the arm.

cured in a set position, there has been provided latch strips 16 which extend longitudinally of the shank against the inns and These latch strips are connected by rivets 17 which extend through a longitudinally extending slot 18 formed in I the shank and serve not only as means for connecting the latches and retaining them in close engagement with the shank but also as 7 means for limiting their sliding movement.

When the key holder is in use and it is desired to place keys upon it, the latchesare slid longitudinally of the shank from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. The eye of the key to be put in place is engaged in one set of cooperating notches after the keeper has been turned to the position shown in 2 and a downward pressure exerted which will cause a partial rotation of the keepers and permit of the key being forced through the passage between the shank and arm with which the key is to be engaged. After the keepers have been turned approximately a quarter of a rotation, the notches of the keepers in which the key has been engaged will have passed downwardly out of engagement with the end portion 11 of the arm and the key may slide freely The keepers will then be turned an additional quarter revolution to bring the notches into alinement with the latches l6 and the latches returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 where they will be retained by their frictional engagement with the shank. The keepers will now be .secur held against rotating and the key securely held upon the am but permitted being freely used in looking or unlocking a door. Keys for the home may be kept separate from keys for an oflice or other building by placing the keys of the home in engagement with one arm and engaging the l eys of the office or other building with the second arm. While it has beenstated that the shank is engaged at its upper end with a strip 5 for engagement with a belt or chain, it will be obvious that the, key holder could be used without a suspending device and the shank either cut off close to the keepers or have its extended upper end portion formed into a screwdriver blade if so desired; It will also be obvious that if desired the eye T nay be formed at the upper end of the shank instead of upon the strip 5. It will be further obvious that instead of forming the shank and arms from sheet metal or as a casting they could be formed from a strand of wire bent intermediate its length to form the shank and eye and having its end-portions bent to form the arms.

Having thus described the invention, 1 '1 claim.

1. A key holder comprising a shank, an H arm extending transversely from said shank and then longitudinally of the shank and towards the side thereof with its free end portion spaced from the shank to provide a passage, a disc 'rotatably secured to said shank and of a diameter to overlap the free end portion of said arm, said disc being formed with a slot leading from its peripheral edge to receive portion of a key to be led through the passage as the key is moved onto and 0% said arm, and latch carried by said shank and adapter to enter said slot and releasably hold the disc stationary with an unslotted portion closing the passage.

2. A keyholder coniprising a shank, an arm extending transversely from said shank and then longitudinally of the shank and towards the side thereof with its free end portion spaced from the shank to provide a passage, a disc rotatably secured to si'idsnank and of a diameter to overlap the freejen-d portion of said arm, said disc being formed with a slot leading from its peripheral edge to receive a portion of a key to be led through the passage as the key is moved onto and off said arm, and a latch slidable longitudinally of said shank an adapted to enter said slot and releasably the isc stationary with an unslotted portion closing the passage.

A key holder comprising a shank, an arm extending transversely from saidsh'ank and then lon udinally of the shank and towards the side thereof with its free end portion spaced from the shank to provide a )assa 'e discs rotatabl mounted uoon' opposite faces of said shank in opposed relation to each other and extending across said passage with the free end portion of said arm disposed between the discs, said d1scs having slots leadlng from their peripheral, edges to receive a portion of a key to be led through the passage, and a latch carried by said shank and having portions upon opposite faces of the shank for fitting into the slots and releasably holdingsaid discs stationary with portions closing said passage.

l. A key holder comprising a shank, an arm extending transversely from said shank and then longitudinally of the shankand towards the side thereof with its free end portion spaced from the shank to provide'a passage, discs rotatably mounted upon opposite faces of said shank in oppose-d relation to each other and extending across said passage with the free end portion of said arm disposed between the discs, said discs having slots leading from their peripheral edges to receive a portion of a key to be led through the passage, said shank being formed with a longitudinally extending slot, latch strips extending longitudinally of said shank, and pins joining said latch strips and passing through the slot in said shank to slidably mount the latch strips for movement longitudinally of the shank into and out of position for entering the slots of said'discs to lock the discs against rotation with unslotted portions of the discs closing said passage.

5. A key holder comprising a shank, arms extending from opposite sides of said shank and curved inwardly and terminating in free ends extending longitudinally of the shank in spaced relation thereto, a closure disc rotatably mounted upon said shank and of a diameter to overlap the free ends of said arms, said disc being formed with a slot opening through its peripheral edge and adapted to move'longitudinally of the passage between said shank and the free end of a selected one of said arms when said disc is rotated, and a latch carried by said shank and adapted to enter said slot and releasably hold the disc stationary with the passages between the arms and shank closed by portions of the disc.

6. A key holder comprising a shank, arms extending from opposite sides of said shank and curved inwardly and terminating in free ends extending longitudinally of the shank in spaced relation thereto, a closure disc rotatably mounted upon said shank and of a diameter to overlap the free ends of said arms, said disc being formed with a slot opening through its peripheral edge and adapted to move longitudinally of the passage between said shank and the free end of a selected one of said arms when said disc is rotated, and a latch slidable longitudinally of said shank into and out of position for extending into said slot to hold the disc stationary with portions of the disc closing the passages between said shank and free ends of said arms.

7. Akey ring comprising a carrier formed with a restricted key passage, a guard for said passage movable into and out of closing relation to the passage, and means upon said carrier for releasably holding said guard in a set position with the passage closed.

8. A key ring comprising a carrier formed with a restricted'key passage, a guard for said passage movable into and out of closing relation to the passage, and means mounted upon said carrier for movement into and out of position for engaging said guard and holding the guard in a set position with the passage closed.

9. A key ring comprising a carrier formed with a restricted key passage, a guard for said passage movable into and out of closing relation to the passage, and means slidable upon said carrier into and out of position for holding said guard in a set position with the passage closed.

10. A key ring comprising a carrier formed with a restricted key passage, a guard for said passage movable into and out of closing relation to the passage and formed with a recess for leading a key through the passage when the guard is moved, and means upon said carrierhfor fitting into said recess and releasably holding said guard in a set position with said passage closed by a portion of the guard.

11. A key ring comprising a carrier formed with a restricted key passage, a guard for said passage movable into and out of closing relation to the passage and formed with a recess for leading a key through the passage when the guard is moved, and meansslidable upon said carrier and adapted to be moved into position to extend into said recess to hold said guard in a set position with the passage closed by a portion of the guard.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH H. MORIN. [1,. s.] 

